Water-column alarm



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March 15 192 7 w. H KUHN WATER COLUMN ALARM Filed July. 1925 IH/vento@ Patented Mar. l5, i927.

UNITED srAras lutiZJZQ P ATENT @if Fl CE..

WILFRED H. KUHN, OF DETROIT, MICIGAN, ,ASSJGNOR `IBO HEIGHT-.AUSTIN COM- FANY, F DETROIT, MICHIGAN,

WATERCOLU1VIN ALARM.

Application led July 6,

This invention relates to a safety device of the water column type for `indicating the water level in a boiler by sounding an alarm when the water in the boiler reaches apredetermined high or low level.

It is of vital importance in devices of this character that the alarm controlled valve operate with accuracy and certainty, that is, that the valve be tightly closed at all times except when the sounding of the alarm is desirable and that it be quickly opened with certainty upon the water level reaching the danger point. It is an objectof the present invention `to provide an arrangement whereby the valve will operate with a I maximum of certainty and whereby the liability of fouling is minimized and the valve and its seat may be very quickly and conveniently removed for `inspection or repair.

A further object is to provide an arrangement whereby the life of the valve and its seat `is doubled and whereby they may be quickly removed at any time for the purpose of cleaning or inspection without the necessity for demounting the water column or taking the sameapart.

A further object is to provide certain other new and useful features in thefconstruction and arrangement of an alarm control valve for water columns, all as hereinafter more fully set forth. lith the above and other lends in view the invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth and more particularly` pointed out in the appended claims reference being had to the accompanying drawing, vin `which .Figure l is a vertical 'longitudinal section through a water column illustrating `the application thereto lof the present invention; and

Fig, is an enlarged vertical section through a valve casing showing the construction and arrangement of valve embodying the prese-nt invention;

In the drawing a water column 1 of an old and well known form and construction is shown, said water column being adapted to be connected to a steam boiler in the usual manner, the cap or head of the column being provided with a steam inlet 3 and a water outlet 4 near its lower end. A second steam connection or opening 5 may be provided in the side of the column if found desirable and suitable openings 6 are pro-- vided in the front side of the column for 1925. Serial No. 41,527,

connecting thereto the usual water gauge, not showy The cap 2 is also `provided with a screwthreaded vopening into which is inserted a plug ,7, said plug carrying the operating mechanism for the steam outlet valve which controls the sounding of the alarmysaid control mechanism being of an old and well known type and comprising a bottom lever 8, which 'is .pivotally attached .to a bracket 9 carried by a rod 10 which is secured to `the plug 7 at its upper end to depend into the Vwater column and this Vmechanisrn also includes an upper lever 1-1 pivotally attached vto a lug on the vplug` 7 andi-carrying a con tact member 12 to be engaged .by `the float 13 when a high level of ywater in the boiler lis reached andthe waterflevel in ithe-column correspondingly rises. .Upon `fall of the water to a low level in thelboiler, the water level in the column also lfalls until the 'ball 13 engages the lever 8. The lower end of a valve stem la is pivotally attached to the upper lever 11 insuch a manner 4that upon Contact of the float 13 witheither ithe lever Sor the member `12, the stem willbelowered and the valve 15 opened thereby, permitting steam from the `upper end of `thewater columnto pass out and sound an alarm which is preferably inthe form of a -whistle 16.

In order that ythe valve 15 .may fbe readily accessible, itis located within fthe chamber 1G in a connection 17 thelower endof which connection is provided with a screwthreaded nipple `18 to screw into a recess or chamber `in theupper end ofitheplug'7. As this Vplug 7 extends completely through the vwall of fthe cup 2 of the water column, Vthis fitting `or :connection 17 is therefore located outside of the cup Awhere it is always `accessible and is y,preferably `formed `hexagonal in cross sec- `tion so rthat a wrench may be applied thereto for disconnecting it from the plug 7 In order that the valve seat 19 may `also be readily accessible and detachable, this valve seat is made in the form Aof -a disk which is seated `within 4a 1recess20 or A.seat in the end of a screwthreaded nipple portion 21 on the upper end of the connection 17 and to hold this `valve seat in place, a `fitting' 22 is provided which has aA chambered lower end internally screwthreaded to receive the nipple 21 and is also formed with an upwardly extending nipple 23 which is screwt'hrea-ded to engage within the hollow stem 24 of the Whistle 16. The valve 15 is therefore made readily accessible by simply unscrewing the connection 17 and the seat for this valve is also made accessible by its location within the fitting 22 which may be readily unscrewed and the valve seat removed when desired.

In order that the valve 15 may have a long life and may be readily replaced when worn, it is preferably made in the form or' a short cylindrical body which is tapered at both ends to form valves, said valve being thus double ended `so that when one of its tapered ends becomes worn, the `valve may be removed from the valve stem la by knocking out the pin 25 and changing the valve, end for end. The lower end of the valve 15 tits Within a chamber 26 provided therefor in the upper end of the valve stem 1a' so that said valve is carried by and made a detachable part of the valve stem.

The valve seat which is in the form of the disk 19 has an arial opening which is engaged by the upper tapered end ot the valve 15 and thus the valve seats upwardly so'that fouling of the valve seat is minimized. Further as the valve seat is in the form of a disk whenever the portion against which the valve seats becomes worn, this disk may be removed and reversed so that the valve will engage within the other end of the opening through the disk and a new contact will be provided tor the valve.

As the valve 15 is in the form of a short cylindrical body provided with tapered ends, it may be readily hardened to prevent wear and by reason or' being alike at both ends or having a seat end portion at each end, its life is doubled as when one end becomes worn the valve may be reversed.

As previously stated, the vital part oit an alarm device of this character, is the valve which controls the outlet ot' steam to the whistle. Should this valve become fouled for any reason or should stick so that it did not immediately open upon the water in the boiler reaching the danger level, the device would be entirely useless and the purpose of the present arrangement ot valve is to insure such positive and accurate operation.

To further insure positive operation, it is very desirable that the valve be so arranged that it may be conveniently inspected from time to time and in the present arrangement this may be quickly and easily accomplished as the members which form the easing for the valve and its seat are located entirely outside of the water column where they may be quickly unscrewed and the valve and its .seat exposed to view.

bviously, changes may be made in the construction and arrangement ot' parts within the scope ot the appended claims without departing' trom the present invention and I do not therefore limit myself to the specific construction shown.

Having thus fully described my invention what ll claim is 1. The combination with a water column and a valve mechanism in said column comprising a depending rod having a bracket at its lower end, a bottom lever pivotally connected to said bracket, a top lever operatively connected-to the bottom lever and a Float operative between said levers, said column having an enlarged screw-threaded opening in its upper end; of a screwthreaded plug in said enlarged opening` and termed with a axial bore and a lug extending downwardly into the column and to which lug said top lever is pivotally attached and to which plug said depending rod is secured at its upper end, a valve, a valve stein for said valve and pivotally connected at its lower end to 'said top lever and extending upward through the bore of the plug, a valve casing carried by the outer end of the plug and formed with an axial .bore of greater' diameter than the diameter ot' said valve and valve stem, whereby the removal of said casing from said plug will expose the valve and upper end of its stem above said plug, a fitting onthe outer end ot the casing, a detachable valve seat interposed between said fitting and the end of said casing, and an alarm member carried by said titting.

2. A device i'or the purpose described and as characterized in claim 1 and further characterized in that said plug is screwed into the enlarged opening in the column from the interior ot the column outwardly, eX- tending completely through the wall oi the column and is provided with an end portion to engage the inner surface of said wall, and further characterized in that said valve casing is exteriorly angular in cross section and has a screw-threaded nipple at each end, one to engage within an enlargement olf the bore et the plug and the other to engage within said ti ting.`

In testimony whereof l affix my signature.

VILFRED H. KUHN. 

